My Happy Family

The Georgian film Chemi Bednieri Ojakhi (2017) was shown in the U. S. with the translated title My Happy Family. It was written and co-directed by Nana Ekvtimishvili. (The other co-director was Simon Groß.)

Ia Shugliashvili portrays Manana, a middle-aged teacher. She lives with her father, mother, husband, son, and daughter in a crowded apartment. There's no real hostility, but people are endlessly bickering

One day she decides to leave her home and rent an apartment. She doesn't ask for a divorce. She just moves out. This isn't exactly normative in the U. S., but it's definitely not normative in Georgia. The plot follows Manana's activities after she has made this move.

Ia Shugliashvili is a professional actor, and has made other films. I think she plays Manana in an excellent, fully believable manner. She has the title role, and the movie rises or falls on her work. I think it rose.

This movie worked on the small screen. It has a solid IMDb rating of 7.4. I thought it was even better than that, and rated it 9.

P. S. The closing scene is fascinating. It leaves matters open to interpretation.